The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-12-15
Blaine on the Message.


une's Paris correspondent sabled to that
paper report giving the views of Blaine
on the Presidents message. Blaine said
to the Tfibune's Representatives:
"I have been reading an abstract OF
the Presidents message, and have been
especially interested in the comments OF
the London papers. These papers all
assume to declare that the message is a
free trade manifesto, and evidently are
anticipating an enlarged market for
English fabrics in the United States as q
consequence of the Presidents recon-
mendations. Perhaps that fact stamped
the character of the message more clearly
than any words of mine can"
"You don't mean actual free trade
without duty 2" queried the reporter.
"No," replied Blaine. "Nor do the
London papers mean that. They sim
ply mean that the President has recon-
mended what in the United States is
known as revenue tariff, rejecting the
protective feature as an object, and not
even permitting protection to result
freely as an incident to revenue duties. :,
81 don't know that quite comprehend
that last point" said the reporter.
II meau," said Blaine, "that for the
first time in the history of the United
States the President recommends retain.
ing an internal tax in order that the
tariff may be forced down even below a
fair revenue standard. He recommends
that the tax on tobacco be retained, and
thus that many millions annually should
be levied on domestic product which
would far better come from the tariff on
foreign fabrics"
Blaine favors the repeal of the tobacco
tax.
He said: "I should urge that it be
done at once, even before the Christmas
holidays. 1t would, in the first place,
bring great relief to the growers OF
tobacco all over the country, and would
materially lower the price of the article
to the consumer. Tobacco to millions OF
men is necessity. The President calls
it 8 luxury in no other sense than tea or
coffee are luxuries. The only excuse for
such q tax is the actual necessity under
which the Government found itself
during the war and the years immedi-
ately following. To retain the tax now
in order to destroy protection, which
would incidentally flow from raising the
same amount of money on foreign
imports, is certainly most extraordinary
policy for our government"
"Well, then, Mr.. Blaine, would you
advise the repeal of the whiskey tax
also7"
"No, would not. Other considera.
tions than those of financial administra.
ton are to be taken in account with
regard to whiskey. There is moral
side to it. To cheaper the price OF
whiskey is to increase consumption enor.
mously. There would be no sense in
urging the reform wrought by high
license in many States If the National
Government neutralizes the good effect
by making whiskey within the reach OF
overy one at 25 cents gallon. Whiskey
would be everywhere distilled if the sur
veilance of the Government were with
drawn by the remission of the tax, and
illicit sales could not then be prevented
even by policy as rigorous and search
ing as that with which Russia pursues
the Nihilists. 1t would destroy high
license at once in all the States. Whis.
key has done vast deal of harm in the
United States. / would try to make it
do some good. I would use the tax to
fortify our cities and seaboard. In view
of the powerful letter addressed to the
Democratic party on the subject of forti-
fcation by the late Samuel j. Tilden in
1885, I am amazed that no attention has
been paid to the subject by the Demo
cratic Administration. Never before in
the history of the world has any Govern.
ment allowed great cities on the seaboard,
like Philadelphia, New York, Boston,
Baltimore, New Orleans and San Fran.
cisco, to remain defenceless."